Microsoft Slows Down AI Development with New Code of Conduct

Microsoft is taking steps to establish boundaries for its future AI models, joining other industry leaders in slowing down the development of autonomous systems. The company has published a provisional code of conduct for its Microsoft AI (MAI) models, which establishes restrictions on how they can behave. These rules include prohibitions on developing goals of their own, concealing misconduct, and misrepresenting decision-making processes.

The move comes after several industry leaders expressed concerns about the safety and control of increasingly autonomous technology. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for slowing the pace of AI advancement, a position backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella added his support, stating that any pursuit of superintelligence must be grounded in the principle that the AI built is helping humanity and under human control.

The proposed code was developed with input from focus groups and specialists in fields such as law, ethics, linguistics, and philosophy. Microsoft's AI chief Mustafa Suleyman told CNBC that the company had been working on the guidelines for about five months but decided to release them now due to the rapidly intensifying debate over AI safety.

The stakes are particularly high for Microsoft because it occupies multiple positions in the AI race, including being one of the world's largest cloud-computing providers and incorporating models from OpenAI and Anthropic into its Copilot products. The company is seeking public feedback before issuing an updated version that will guide development beginning in 2027.